


Serendipity

by sleeplesstara



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Smut, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century, Unprotected Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:07:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24695767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeplesstara/pseuds/sleeplesstara
Summary: Steve Rogers thought being brought into the 21st century was the craziest thing that could have happened to him. That combined with his frequent run-ins, often by chance, with a particular doctor.
Relationships: Steve Rogers & Original Female Character(s), Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 64





	1. The Avengers

Steve has always felt like he never really belonged. His earliest memories of his childhood consist of him trying to keep himself busy in the empty street facing his childhood apartment building. He’d sit on the steps leading up to the dishevelled edifice, entertaining himself by kicking the gravel rocks beneath his feet. He’d wait patiently, hoping for another kid to come by. He had a stash of marbles that he held in a small pouch, something he spent months saving up for. He just wanted a friend to play with. On a good day, he’d be able to play a couple rounds with some of the neighbourhood kids. On bad days, not a single kid passed by his building. He’d instead be forced to return upstairs to his exhausted mother.

It had always been hard to try to navigate himself through the world. Especially as he started getting sick, which limited his ability to integrate himself. It was tough enough being the shy kid, only further polarized by his limited social interactions with his peers. He never learned how to be accepted. Even when he got big, he thought a lot of his problems would be resolved once he began maneuvering his body to its full potential. Surely, now he would be a competitive adversary in the war. But as this learning curve appeased, and his soft fatigued body was now a distant memory, Steve realized it didn’t help his ability to belong. If anything, it just alienated himself more from the people he wanted to get close. Living in a state of global catastrophe shifts people’s priorities. And rightfully so.

It was ironic, he thought, that out of all people, he would be the one catapulted into the 21st century. Someone who’s never felt like they belonged in their own timeline now completely estranged by the modern world surrounding him. He was unsure if this was some kind of sick cosmic joke being pulled on him. Or maybe he was being punished for his sins from a previous life.

He thought the biggest culture shock of his life would have been being shipped off to Nazi Germany. However, no one could ever prepare for their own country, their own neighbourhood, their own home, to be just as foreign. He’d hear distinct dialogue, the words escaping from the lips of his contemporaries completely incoherent to his ears. Their attention fixated on small rectangular computers at their fingertips, limiting their contact with the outside world. The way people spoke, socialized, amused themselves, dressed, and whatever else Steve noticed, it was all different. He was more than just a man out of touch. He was a man completely inaccessible to a world right in front of him.

It had been about a week since Fury had approached him about the Avengers Initiative. He was very apprehensive, undoubtedly so. His life was completely flipped upside down. It was easy to think he could grab himself by the bootstraps like back in the 40s, when he literally had nothing else to lose. But he was lost now. The decision wasn’t as simple as it was back then. He had sacrificed his life years ago by going into the Arctic, and therefore didn’t think he would have to make a decision like that again. He didn’t know what to do. Well actually, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. But it was unfortunately too late for that.

He tried to find some clarity in the evolving world around him, trying to find some elements of his home. He tried to visit some familiar sites around Brooklyn hoping to find comfort. He started with his old apartment building, which had now been bulldozed over and replaced with trendy shops and restaurants. It was hard to see, practically feeling the phantom gravel beneath his feet as he walked along the paved sidewalk. It didn’t take long before he was back on the metro, which arguably wasn’t that much different then it was back in the day. There were a lot more flashier advertisements, he noticed. Steve often found himself distracted by the signs, almost causing him to miss his stop.

This particular spring afternoon, Steve found himself frequenting the Brooklyn Hospital Center campus. He unfortunately spent many of his precious childhood moments at this hospital. Either when his mother was working, or when he was sick himself. Walking along the center, although completely renovated at this point, brought a sense of cosiness to him. Like a big warm bowl of chicken noodle soup. Especially the Fort Green Park right next to the hospital. The park was almost identical to how he remembered it. The revelation brought a smile to his lips. 

The sunshine illuminating the park brought its fair share of patrons. The brisk wind seemed more profound, and cooler to the touch as Steve stationed himself at a bench beneath the shading of a great oak tree. He allowed the cool air to fill his lungs as he took in a deep inhale. As the oxygen diffused into his bloodstream, his nose buried deeper into his sketchbook propped on his lap. His eyes fixated, determined to recreate the bed of bright scarlet tulips sprinkled along the landscape in front of him. He altered the pressure on the tip of his pencil as he shaded along the curves of the petals. He’d momentarily lift his gaze from the paper, capturing their beauty as the wind gushed again. His attention then slowly started to shift at a nearby bench. Without thought, his fingers moved agilely as he refined the ridged of the copper handles while outlining the wooden panels of the seat.

A seat that was unexpectantly occupied. At least unexpected to him in his current trance. His eyebrows furrowed once his gaze shifted more to the left. Expecting the handle on the adjacent side of the bench, his eyes noticed a woman with her legs crossed over one another. Her thigh covered in blue scrubs bounced on her knee, her attention shifting to the bowl in her hands as she went for another bite. Her lips curled around the prongs end of her fork, practically pouting them out as she slowly removed the cutlery from her mouth. She was inattentive of the world around her, her head shaking from side to side in a melodical rhythm. Steve had noticed the white wires originating from her ears. He had seen headphones in his time, but it fascinated him that they made them so small and could directly fit into someone’s ears.

The pencil in his hand began sketching before he realized he had begun incorporated the stranger into his drawing. He started with her torso, which was against the wooden panelling of the bench. Her shoulders, soft rounds, were barely visible from the oversized scrubs. The fabric maintained its boxy frame as he angled his pencil down, tracing the outline of her oblique and hips. Although he took a more stylistic approached at this point, giving the garment more curves than what the scrubs portrayed in real life. He tried to outline the bottom half of her body, though her constantly shifting legs made it hard for him to concentrate on a specific shape.

He instead went back up towards the face, beginning to define the angular jawline of her profile. She’d momentarily bob her head along to whatever music she was listening to, followed by her gaze shifting between the sprawled-out magazine in her lap and her salad bowl. It wasn’t as distracting as her legs as he was still able to focus on her features. Starting with her eyebrows, he shaded the soft arched hairs delineating her almond shaped eyes. He tried to replicate the light hazel hues of her eyes, shifting the pressure on the paper to imitate its colour. Without much luck, he huffed. He narrowed in her button nose followed by her full lower lip. He then began working on her black hair, neatly slicked into a low ponytail. He felt like an eternity had passed as he tried to replicate the strands of hair outlining her cheekbones, capturing some of the frizzy baby hairs along her temple.

When he went to return to her legs, he had realized he had probably been captured in his artistic zone for a while. He noticed the stranger was no longer stationed on the bench across from him. Instead, she began moving closer, and towards him. The realization made his hand begin to clam up, unavoidably his eyes following her walk towards a nearby trashcan. She chucked her biodegradable bowl into the trash before she made eye contact with him. He instantly got nervous.

“Should I be worried that you kept looking over at me?”

Steve felt his throat tighten. He didn’t know how to proceed, mostly because he had never been put in this position before. He wasn’t one to randomly draw strangers he came across, instead focusing on city landscape or the natural flora surrounding him. His fingers lifted its pressure on his pencil, the wood falling flat against the crevice of his book. His cheeks were probably beginning to turn red, the increase in blood flow starting to feel hot against his skin. 

“I-uh…no. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.” He managed to stammer out, reluctantly deciding to close his sketchbook. Mostly out of fear of being caught. He was disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to finish. He hadn’t even started sketching the grass circling her feet.

She glanced at down at him with her head tilted to the side. She huffed air from her nostrils before inadvertently curling her lips into a smile. She didn’t seem annoyed, he noticed. She looked almost entertained. Maybe his uneasiness was humorous to her.

“You know, for a big guy you seem kinda shy. Would never have expected it.”

_Oh._

She was bantering. If he knew any better, he’d even suggest she was flirting with him. Her smile was resistant as she waited for his response. Her hands slipping inside of her front pockets, her hips lightly swaying to the side. Peggy had given him that look once. Decades ago. He began wondering if it was a universal sign. He also questioned if he was reading too much into this. It was also Peggy who reiterated to him that he didn’t know anything about women. And his time in the ice unfortunately didn’t come with a copy of a manual on how to decode female behaviour.

The silence was awkward as Steve contemplated what to respond. He settled on being truthful. “Well, I don’t really know what to say to that.”

The stranger raised her eyebrow, watching as Steve fidgeted like a restless puppy in his seat. He felt like he was on display, practically sprawled out on the operating table for everyone to gawk at.

“How about you tell me what you were doing?”

His breath hiked as attention was brought back to his crime. He unwillingly darted his gaze back onto his lap. His fingers started to flip through the pages of his book, unsure if he should preface his intentions before revealing the sketch. Would she be creeped out by it? Would she chew him out because of it? He didn’t even have his shield to protect himself had it gotten to that point.

He couldn’t hold back the genuine smile as he focused on the sketch below his senses. He realized, now that she was up close, that he wasn’t able to do her beauty justice. It would probably take hours of doodling to really make a piece of art representative of her. However, the curvature of her body was more typical of the sketch now that she was in front of him. He still held onto the book, almost for dear life.

“I um…” He began. “I was just drawing the tulips behind your bench. Kind of got carried away.”

She just smiled, raising her eyebrows briefly.

“Can I see it?”

He flipped the book over after another deep breath. Her eyes immediately squinted before reaching forward for a better look. He let go of the book, feeling her fingertips brush against the back of his hand as she began studying the image. His heart rate picked up at the touch while she began settling onto the bench next to him. This was probably a good sign. Had she not liked it, she probably would have ran for dear life. She took a couple moments to herself, pleased, before handing Steve’s book back to him.

“Well, normally I’d say that’s weird as hell. But it’s real good, so I’ll let it slide.”

The comment was lighthearted. She wasn’t trying to embarrass him, something that Steve started to fear at the prolonged silence. He nodded his head and placed the book back into his lap. He was feeling a little more comfortable now.

“Thank you. I’m going to assume that was supposed to be a compliment?”

She pursed her lips forward while holding back a snicker. Steve reciprocated the smile while shifting his attention back to the book stationed on his lap. Another prolonged pause filled their interaction. He had reached his hand forward to her. People still shake hands, right? 

“I’m Steve, by the way.”

“Carmen.” She responded while shaking his hand. 

He nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Carmen.”

“You too, Steve.” Her pearly whites were still on display by the time he pulled his hand away. She had a level of confidence about her that Steve was not used to being around. He watched as she leaned back onto the wooden bench, her hand balancing on the other side. She practically puffed her chest out to him. It was almost intimidating, but also enticing. She ensured maintaining eye contact, practically forcing Steve to keep his gaze onto her. He wouldn’t dare to break away from it, even if he was still slightly on edge.

“You seem lonely.” She said after a while.

“I do?”

“A little.” She chuckled. “I mean you’re by yourself drawing random strangers.”

He nervously laughed while exhaling, unable to maintain eye contact in that moment.

“Touché.”

She tilted her head while resting her knuckles against her temple. She seemed smitten with him, although he couldn’t understand why.

“I have about 15 minutes left on my break. You want some company?”

“Yeah, sure.” He said while watching her cross her legs over one another, her scrubs moving in tandem. 

“So, you’re a nurse at the hospital?” He initiated while rearranging his posture, now well positioned to face her. She shook her head.

“No, I’m actually a med student. I’m doing my clinical rotations.”

_Shit._

“Oh…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to assume you were a nurse.” He shook his head, eyebrows creasing once he realized he was stammering his words again. He couldn’t muster the strength to stop this brewing cycle. “Not that nursing is a bad profession. My mom was an amazing nurse. I don’t want to give you the impression that I don’t think women can be doctors too. I’m sure you’re a great doctor. Or medical student. Sorry.”

She just laughed at his response, him barely noticing her biting her inner cheek. “You’re cute. Don’t beat yourself up, I know that’s not what you meant. I’ve heard much worse, believe me.”

The compliment made him blush. He had turned his attention towards the bed of tulips, knowing he’d need a moment to recompose himself. God, she made him so flustered. He couldn’t understand why.

“It seems like I keep making a fool of myself. But thanks. Although, I’m not happy to hear that you’ve heard worse.”

“Well,” She begun, readjusting her legs by uncrossing them. “Being a woman and a child of immigrants doesn’t really set me up to be accepted by the general mass. Even in this profession.”

“Again, I’m sorry to hear that.” He reaffirmed. Apparently not everything has changed since his days.

She smiled.

“Well I guess that’s just the state of the country. But it’s gotten a lot better.”

Her facial muscles began to soften, not anticipating the lighthearted conversation to take the turn that it did. She forced a small smile, shifting the weight off of her hand and leaning back into the bench.

“So, your mom was a nurse?” 

The memory of his mother brought a genuine smile to Steve’s lips. He leaned forward, resting his forearms against his knees as he tried to get a little more comfortable. “Yeah, she actually used to work here before uh…” He paused, unsure if he should admit the extent of his mother’s life experience. “She used to work here before retiring.”

She hummed, leaning her palm forward to judge his shoulder slightly. The electrical touch caused his attention to shift back towards her.

_God, she was so beautiful._

“That explains you creepily patrolling the park.” He laughed at the joke, watching her lean in while watching the act. “She seemed to have made quite the impression on you.”

“Yeah, you can say that.”

“It’s endearing, you don’t hear a lot of guys actively admit to being a mama’s boy.” 

“Yeah, I guess not.” He nodded. Silence grew again.

“And you, nurse’s boy. What do you do?”

He struggled to find the answer to that question, knowing he didn’t really have a clear answer himself. He could be honest and say that he’s a super solder from the 40s currently being recruited in a secret espionage agency to fight a possible alien invasion. Maybe throw in that he was almost 100 years old too.

“I’m a veteran. Just got back from overseas.”

He wasn’t _technically_ lying.

She raised her eyebrows in appreciation. “Wow, would not have expected that. Thank you for your services.” 

He cocked his eyebrow up, confused by her words. “Thank you. But why unexpected?”

“I don’t know.” She laughed. “You just seem docile. Last place I’d expect you to be is the battlefield.”

He didn’t know what to reply with, but he was smiling from ear to ear. He didn’t even know why, if anything he should be offended. But he wasn’t. He was just happy to be with her in the moment. Without being that skinny kid from Brooklyn. Without being the science experiment. Without being Captain America. He was just Steve. Shy, awkward and arguably idiotic Steve. He couldn’t even remember the last time he felt that way, if ever.

A moment that unfortunately came to an end sooner than expected. A high-pitched tone, practically fringing on fire alarm territory went off. He was initially worried, until he noticed Carmen reaching into her pocket and retrieving a small black box. This seemed thicker than a regular cell phone. He observed in confusion, unsure of this unfamiliar device.

“Well, I should probably head back. My attending is paging me.”

He had no idea what she meant by paging, and assumed it was some kind of medical jargon. He didn’t want to truly outdate himself in that moment, instead trying to retain any sense of normalcy he received from this conversation. He simply nodded, even if he was a little disappointed.

“Oh, alright.”

She stood from the bench and paused momentarily as she gathered her things.

“Aren’t you going to ask for my number?”

“Your number?”

She chuckled at how puzzled he looked. “Yeah, like a cell phone number. You have a phone, don’t you?” 

“No, I don’t.”

“You don’t have a cell phone?” She called out, practically laughing at him. “What century are you from?” 

He smiled at the ironic nature of her question. “I don’t know…I guess I haven’t gotten around to it.”

“So, I have no way to reach you?”

“I come here often. I’ll probably run into you again.” He responded, noticing her begin to frown. He mimicked the expression, pursing his lips forward. In a lightbulb moment he darted his attention back to his sketchbook. Without thinking, he flicked through the pages until he found the sketch in question. He ripped it out and motioned it towards her.

“Here. Have this in the meanwhile.”

“Oh Steve, that’s too kind. Are you sure?”

“Yes. If you want it, I mean.”

Her lips returned to the familiar smile, bringing back some warmth to Steve. “Thank you.”

She placed the drawing, now folded, into the pocket of her scrubs. She begun pacing away from the bench, away from Steve, temporarily turning back to face him. She paused as a gush of wind gain traction, strands of her curly hair now blowing onto her cheeks.

“So, I’ll see you around?” She asked, almost wanting to get confirmation.

He nodded his head and waved.

“See you around, Carmen.”


	2. The Winter Soldier

The first time she read the last name Rogers on her patient rounds sheet, she didn’t think anything of it. Rogers was a very common surname. Steven, in general, was a common name. She didn’t think to put the two together until she walked into his room in the ICU. 

An initially confident strut into the room turned timid as her eyes fixated on the man that laid on the hospital bed. He was sound asleep, his body still recovering from the traumatic events that occurred hours ago. His lips hung apart as he breathed with perceptible swollen purple hues. She instantly recognized him. Of course she’d recognize _Captain America_ , even if he was practically bruised beyond recognition. Even in his nearly comatose state, with his eyes momentarily shifting behind his eyelids, chest rising along with his breath, she recognized him. 

Steve Rogers had practically become synonymous with New York when she was finishing medical school. She remembered the day of the Battle of New York, her being abruptly shifted from her scheduled pediatric rotation to aid with the surge of patients coming into the emergency room. She remembered the gruesome days that followed afterwards, working tirelessly for hours on end, the swelling of her feet now part of the job description. Her only sense of escape came in between stuffing her mouth with leftovers from the break room, her attention momentarily landing on the TV relaying the disastrous events of the city in shambles. A band of superheroes, seemingly out of nowhere, coming to the rescue. When Carmen saw Steve come up on screen for the first time, it was as if she was watching the movie’s protagonist lead his team to victory. 

At that time, it took a while for her to realize why he looked so familiar to her. She remembered learning about Captain America in her high school history classes, but that wasn’t it. When speaking to a colleague the following day, she realized she had actually met him before. An awkward encounter she tried to bury deep within her memories. She hadn’t had much experience being as forward as she was that afternoon and was unsure what took over her. She assumed it had something to do with her sleep deprivation, or that he had an air of mystery that she was drawn to. There was something endearing about him that fooled her into taking such a forward leap. The discovery of the drawing was evident that he may have been interested. Or so she thought. The sense of humiliation she felt when walking away from him, without exchanging numbers, assuming his reluctance was due to his lack of interest.

She tried to forget about him after that.

Her chance encounter had slowly been pushed to the back of her mind as she began planning her move back to Washington DC. She was thankfully able to find a match back in her hometown in internal medicine, knowing fully well the matching process in New York would be incredibly competitive. She made sure to have a backup just in case things didn’t work out. Besides, at that point, Carmen had begun missing being around her family, and figured the return home would probably be more beneficial to her wellbeing than anything else. 

Unfortunately, her focus on her new job limited her ability to enjoy her return home. A year of her residency had gone by in a flash, and Carmen was now aware of her innate adaptivity to her new environment. Her sense of inadequacy was palpable throughout medical school, so this shift was very noticeable. To her, at least. She was unsure if her newfound confidence came from her ascribed status, or simply due to the change in scenery. That being said, seeing Steve lay on the hospital bed, immobilized by the trauma, in a stable but critical condition, Carmen began to feel unsure again. 

His case was more than peculiar. She noticed his body had rejuvenative powers that put the entire field of medicine to shame. His injuries were diverse, ranging from a sprained knuckle to serious brain hemorrhaging. Multiple ribs had been broken, his skin was noticeably discoloured, and he was barely conscious. Typical patients would expect to be hospitalized for months with long term implications, whereas Steve was on a visibly accelerated path to recovery. She’d go through his medical charts as the days went by, noting his age, and vague details of the experimentation that was done back in the 40s. Other colleagues, just as intrigued with the case, would question how this serum was able to treat these traumatic injuries. Unfortunately, there was a huge knowledge gap related to this serum. No one could explain any of it, instead only speculating.

It took her by surprise that by his third night of hospitalization, he had started gaining consciousness again. While Carmen read over the notes from the daytime attending, she noted an observation about Steve asking for visitors. She inexplicably gulped down while flickering through the written pages, noting from time to time her own questions to clarify once she’d go in to do her rounds. She unfortunately knew the day would come where she’d have to face Steve again. It had been a while since she was nervous seeing a patient, not since her training. She initially dismissed her anxieties as an over-exaggeration, unsure if he would even remember their brief encounter. It had been almost two years at this point. But then again, he had some sort of magical serum coursing through his veins. If it was able to treat his body the way it has, what’s to say it hadn’t improved his memory abilities?

She had just finished visiting the neighbouring room before pausing momentarily outside of Steve’s. Initially, she had done so to finish writing down notes from the previous patient. Something that was finished quite quickly, considering they were asleep when she visited them. Most patients didn’t seem to stay up past 2am during the night rounds. But as the seconds ticked on, and she still hadn’t stepped forward, Carmen realized she was stalling. That’s when she forced herself to take a big deep breath before walking into Steve’s room. 

She expected him to be asleep, as most had been during her rounds. To her surprise, he wasn’t. He had a hardcover book placed on top of his lap, his partially bent legs outlined by the blanket. A single sheet of paper on the book, now adopting the role of a table. Steve was able to lightly furrow his eyebrows as his fingers glided onto the sheet, in deep concentration. Carmen noted his calm but alert demeanor. He didn’t seem tired at all. He must have been up for quite some time now.

“Hi Captain Rogers, my name is Dr. Morales and I’ll be your attending for the night. I just wanted to come by and do a little check-up.”

The soft sound of her voice caused Steve’s attention to tear away from his paper. His sketch replicating the furniture from the corner of the room no longer of importance. Steve adjusted his position slightly as he placed the book onto the nightstand. He gave it a small shove, noticeably pushing against the TV remote. Carmen noticed the remote had barely been touched, some of the buttons collecting residues of dust. She mentally noted that most of her geriatric patients were often opposed to using the TV as much as the younger ones, subconsciously bringing a small smile to her lips. It was so odd to see a seemingly young man act so untimely.

He noticeably winced as his lips curved into a shy smile, his right eye remaining partially shut from the bruising.

“Hello. Sure, no problem.”

“Great,” She began, propping the clipboard against her abdomen while flipping to the comment section of her in-patient sheet. She clicked her pen. “How are you feeling tonight?” 

“Uh, I’m doing okay Doc.” He replied, his eyes now landing on the doctor that stood in front of him. “I’ve had some trouble sleeping, but I’ve been alright other than that.” His other eye began squinting to get a better look.

She nodded attentively as her pen glided onto the sheet, her minimizing any eye contact. She felt her own heart racing. She exhaled slowly, trying to relieve her alarmed state. 

“Is this the first time you’ve had trouble sleeping since your hospitalization?”

“No ma’am,” He shook his head. “I wasn’t able to sleep much last night either.”

“Is it pain related?” She followed up, lifting her eyes from her clipboard. He tilted his head to the side before giving his shoulders a small shrug. 

“No, I don’t think so. I’m not in that much pain.” 

She could hardly believe the words as he spoke them, knowing the atrocious things she had seen in the hospital over the years. Writing down that he didn’t have much pain, especially after the injuries he sustained, seemed sacrilegious. She couldn’t hold back her amazement.

“Wow.” 

The slipped comment made Steve’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. 

“Wow?” 

“Sorry,” She began, feeling her cheeks start to tingle at the slip up. That didn’t do much to improve her heart rate. “It’s just unbelievable how well you’re healing. Believe me, I’ve seen patients in milder conditions be in excruciating pain.”

He nodded in agreement as his furrowed brow partially relaxed. “I bet.” 

“Alright, so it’s not related to pain. Have you mentioned this to the daytime attending?” 

“No, I haven’t.” 

She nodded while scribing on her clipboard before taking a few steps towards Steve’s bed. The closed distance caused Steve to sit up a bit straighter, his legs from beneath the blanket now stretching to their full length. Carmen went to place the clipboard on top of his book on the nightstand. Surely now that she was so close to him, he’d have to recognize her. 

“Alright, I should be able to prescribe you something to help you sleep. I’ll just have to finish your examination first.” 

He watched attentively as she walked even closer to him. He placed his hands on his lap, darting his attention to the glass window that overlooked the workstation from outside his hospital room. 

“Are you able to sit up a little more?” She asked, him complying instead of answering. He kept his attention on the window, barely perceptible from his bruised eye. She began rubbing her hands together, the friction increasing the temperature of her fingertips. 

“Perfect, thanks.” She gave him a genuine smile as she unwrapped the stethoscope from her neck and placing the eartips into her ears. “Okay, it’s going to feel a little cool to the touch.” 

“Yeah, I’ve done this a couple times now.” He said, inadvertently causing Carmen to chuckle. 

“Great, I’m sure you’ll be a pro by the end of your stay.” She began pulling down at the hem of his hospital gown to place the diaphragm of the stethoscope against his chest. She listened attentively to the beating of his heart, hearing a typical and strong pattern. She moved the device further down his chest, noticing the cool metal causing the muscles of his chest to contract. He still wasn’t looking at her. 

“Take in a deep breath.” 

Steve complied, waiting for further instructions. Carmen held the stethoscope in place while listening to his lungs. Maybe he didn’t recognize her. 

“Now exhale.” 

Steve huffed out the air from his lungs, her noting their capacity. 

“Everything sounds normal to me.” She concluded while placing the stethoscope back around her neck. She took a step away from Steve, allowing him to readjust the hem of his hospital gown. While she reached for her clipboard, he turned his attention back to her. 

“I gave your chart a quick review before coming in, seems like you’ve progressed well over the past couple of days. Do you have anything else you’d like to ask, or feel like I should know?” 

He initially hesitated, giving his lips a tight squeeze before speaking again. “Uh no, I think I’m fine Doc.”

Her anxieties seemed to instantly wash away in that moment. She was thankful she wouldn’t have to relive their brief encounter. “Great, I guess we’re done, Captain Rogers.”

He gave her a shy chuckle before speaking again. “I’m terrible with names, I think I’ve already forgotten yours.” 

So much for that serum helping his memory. She was right, she was exaggerating for no reason. 

“That’s alright, Captain Rogers. Happens all the time. It’s Dr. Morales.” 

“Dr. Morales.” He repeated. “Thank you. And you can call me Steve, by the way.” 

* * *

Carmen felt a lot less nervous the following night. She figured he had long forgotten about her, a memory loss probably exacerbated by his recent injuries. Clearly had he remembered her, he would have mentioned it by now. She was probably in the clear and could resume a typical patient-doctor relationship. 

Carmen walked towards his room, anticipating Steve to be awake with his nose buried into another sketch. To her surprise, she found him with the lights turned off, lying partially to the side, sound asleep. 

She smiled to herself from outside of the room, writing in his chart that the Ambien she prescribed had been effective. 

* * *

She seemed familiar to him. He hadn’t mentioned it at their initial meeting, but there was a certain inclination that there was something more. He initially dismissed the claim by his particular circumstances, cognition impaired by the multitude of medication and injuries from the past couple of days.

He vaguely remembered her appearing in his dream the following night, as if her essence was plaguing his thoughts. The dream came back to him during the afternoon when Sam was visiting. He mentioned something that instantly elicited the imagery. Nothing too scandalous on his end, a momentary appearance, following by her lingering smile. He couldn’t muster the strength to even speak to her.

It took the snap of Sam’s fingers for him to come back to reality. This was really the first time he had thought of anything but Bucky. She turned out to be a great distraction.

As the night progressed, he tried to get the gears turning. With his eyes fixated on his blank page, momentarily shifting upwards to the glass window that separated his room from the main hallway. A small workstation was visible, him noticing the hospital’s logo bouncing around the locked computer screen. It wasn’t long after he started shading the propped-up binders and books on the desk that it became occupied.

Her hair was down today. He hadn’t noticed her hair’s length from their initial meeting, it at the time being slicked back into a low bun. Her curls were interesting, varying in length with each layer. Two smaller strands hung to the side to frame her angular face. He was tempted to begin drawing her.

As she got up from the workstation, Steve glanced over at the wall clock. He hadn’t even realized it was past midnight at this point.

“Hi Steve. I thought I prescribed you those sleeping pills so you wouldn’t stay up late.” She said with cadence, a bright smile visible as she stood at the threshold of the room. Instantly she noticed the swelling on his face had significantly decreased. Purple and blue bruising were sprinkles onto his skin, although they no longer obscured his vision. Nor his seemingly piercing blue eyes. His cheeks still seemed a little flush.

He couldn’t help but return the smile.

“Right. They worked great, but I wanted to stay up a little later tonight.” 

Which wasn’t necessarily a lie.

“Well that’s good for me. It’ll be a nice change to do a check-up on a patient that’s actually awake.” She added while stepping inside, her clipboard held firmly in her hands.

“How are you feeling tonight?” 

“I’m feeling a little better,” He began as he readjusted his position on the bed. “I slept well last night. I think those pills really helped.” 

“Yeah it looks like it. You seem to have a bit more energy compared to the last time I saw you.” 

“I think so too.” He nodded, pre-emptively sitting up straight on his hospital bed. Unlike last time, he kept the sketch on his lap. He wondered if he’d ever be able to find an actual sketch book, or if he would have to keep bothering the nice nurses for scrap pieces of paper. Carmen was internally intrigued by the sketch, noticing the familiar computer for a fraction of a second.

“Alright. Well if there’s nothing new to add, I’ll just proceed with your exam to make sure everything else looks good.” 

He nodded his head while his eyes followed her every move, beginning to close the gap between them. Now that his right eye could open again, he took a few moments to really look at her closely. 

And that’s exactly what he did. _Wow._ His dream did her no justice.

He cleared his throat as she placed her clipboard on the nightstand. His palms were now resting flat on his thighs. 

“So- uh Doc, you always work the night shift?”

“No not always, usually we rotate with all the other attendings.” She explained while unwrapping the stethoscope from her neck. “This week it’s me and I’m pretty sure Dr. Sullivan will be next week.” 

His gaze traveled to her fingertips as they laced around the rubber tubing of the device. He bit the inner corner of his mouth once the cool metal pressed against his skin, feeling his teeth sinking further into the plump flesh. Steve was ironically so fixated on his physician but was unable to realize she was holding her own breath as well. 

He had _definitely_ seen her before, he thought.

“That’s good, probably not a lot of fun to come into work at night.” 

She didn’t reply right away, her instead being focused on actively listening to his heartbeat. A room so quiet and still. Her fingers so close to his skin she could feel his body heat radiating. It took a lot of strength to stop her eyes from peering down his muscular chest.

“Inhale.” 

He inhaled. 

“It’s not so bad, most of the time patients are asleep. It’s only when there’s an emergency code that it can get stressful. And exhale.” 

He exhaled. 

“Alright.” She mumbled to herself, placing the stethoscope back around her neck after noting down the results of his examination. She gave him a quick smile before speaking again. “Looks like we’re all done here. Do you have any questions before I let you rest for the night?

He noted a familiar tone, and at that point he was convinced they had met before. “Yeah Doc, one thing but I really don’t hope I’m overstepping.”

She looked at him a little puzzled, but intrigued, nonetheless.

“I feel like we’ve met before. Have we?”

Carmen mentally cursed herself out, hating that he had seemingly remembered her out of nowhere. Stupid serum, or memory, or whatever this was to blame. She decided to play it coy, mostly to mask her discomfort. She raised one of her eyebrows, cocking her head slightly to the side with a small shake.

“Other than a few days ago, no I don’t think so.” 

“Maybe not. I might be confusing you for someone else.” He added, almost in disbelief. “But you really seem familiar to me. Have you ever been to New York by any chance?” 

She figured that he was onto something. Surely his memory wasn’t immaculate, but he’d probably get there sooner or later. Better to be truthful beforehand. In actuality, he had just thrown out New York not out of speculation, but at a loss of ideas.

“Yeah, I was. I went to medical school in New York.” 

In a flashbulb moment, it all seemingly came to him. “Oh, now I remember you!” He called out gleefully. The sudden change in tone seemed striking to Carmen, enough for her to be taken aback. “It must have been what, 2 or 3 years ago? You’re that woman I met at the park, the one outside the Brooklyn Hospital?” 

Carmen was starting to let out a fake gasp, going along as if she hadn’t realized that the moment she initially saw him. “Oh my gosh, yes I remember now. I remembered you were drawing me when I was eating my salad at the park.” 

“Yes, exactly. Wow. Small world, I guess. Do you work in Washington now?” 

“Yeah, it’s been about a year. I’ll assume you’re also here on work?” 

He chuckled to himself. “Yeah, something like that. You know about what happened?” 

She simply nodded her head. “Yeah I do. Kind of hard to miss when you’re on the front page of every newspaper in town.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” 

“Well, I’m your doctor at the end of the day.” She begun, letting out a gush of air as she became to be more comfortable. “Your history doesn’t matter. That fact that you’re a superhero, or that you rejected me all those years ago, none of it matters. What matters is I’m here to help you.” 

It was as if shame had washed over her as her brain caught up with her words. A slight quirk of Steve’s lips instantly sent Carmen into a blush fest. Her tingling cheeks were beginning to warm with reddish undertones as the casual slip was brought to light. 

What an idiot, she thought. _Fuck_. 

“Rejected you? I never rejected you.” 

She responded with an awkward laugh. “Well, I thought you did. You never asked for my number.” 

“I don’t remember much about what we talked about, but I do remember telling you I didn’t have a phone.” 

“Yes, I remember that too. I guess I don’t run into many people who don’t have phones.” 

His smile started to fade. He did feel bad for some reason, as if he was responsible for this mishap.

“But I did have every intention to come back to that park. I just...I ended up getting busy with work.” 

“Yeah, I saw what happened. I still can’t believe it.” The mood had to turn somber and she was desperately trying to liven it again. “I guess you’re off the hook with that.” 

He seemingly did not want to move on. “You were in New York when it happened?” 

“Yeah, I was working in the hospital when it happened. Thank you, by the way, and the rest of the Avengers for what you’ve done. Including what happened days ago. Really, I can’t even imagine the countless lives you saved that day.”

He could only shyly smile at the compliment. “I could say the same to you.”

Flustered after a prolonged pause, she forced herself to look down at his chart. “Alright well, I think we’re all done here. Looks like you’re getting an MRI tomorrow to see how your brain hemorrhage has healed. If all looks good, you’re probably looking to be discharged by the weekend.” 

“Thanks Doc.”

“Alright, get some rest Steve. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

She took his silent tone as him ending the conversation. While giving him a tight smile, she began walking towards the front door. With her back towards him, he knew he’d have to force out something in order to get her attention.

“Uh, Doc?”

She stopped dead in her tracks, turning around to face him once more.

“Yes?”

“What was your name again?”

She gave him a bright smile. If anything, it made the entire encounter more lighthearted. I guess him recognizing her wasn’t the end of the world. She had nothing to worry about.

“It’s Dr. Morales.”

“No, your first name. I remember it was something beautiful.” 

The comment made her bite down on her lower lip as the pit of her stomach began to twist. God, he was going to make her melt into a puddle.

“Carmen.” 

“Carmen.” He repeated. “See you tomorrow, Carmen.” 

* * *

Steve was practically giddy. He somewhat felt stupid staying up so late again. But he didn’t care at that point. The highlight of his hospitalization has been seeing Carmen, even if it was for a routine MRI scan. As time ticked closer to nighttime, and he still hadn’t been sent in for his MRI, he knew Carmen would soon take over. He rose from his laid position and gave his plat pillow a bit of a scruff to bring back some of its volume. He leaned back onto the frame of the bed, finding himself readjusting his position from time to time.

This is stupid, he thought to himself.

He probably looked ridiculous in that moment. What’s worse is he even found the time to comb his hair before focusing on the bed’s arrangement. He’d glance at the glass window from time to time to see his reflection, making sure that his parted hair maintained its position during his tussle. 

The sound of approaching steps pulled his attention away from the window, replacing his anxiously tight lips with a soft smile. The muscles controlling his mouth slowly began to relax as the doctor spoke.

“Hi Captain Rogers, surprised to see you still awake. How are you doing tonight?”

He took a moment to himself to let everything sink in, his phantom smile still toying with his lips. “Hi Dr. Sullivan, I’m doing alright.”

“Sorry about the delay, we were hoping to have you in the MRI earlier tonight but there was a complex case that needed the machine.” Dr. Sullivan’s explanation had barely made an impression on Steve, who instead could only focus on the attending that wasn’t present. Dr. Sullivan raised his eyes from his round glasses before speaking again. “Do you have any questions before your examination?”

Steve couldn’t help it, the words catching up to him before he could even process it.

“I thought Dr. Morales was working tonight?”

“Yes, initially. She had a family emergency and was unable to make it tonight. Guess you’re stuck with me, Captain.”

Dr. Sullivan’s genuine smile was endearing enough for Steve to mirror the act. He added a nod in response.

“No questions, then.”

* * *

He could feel her breath on his collarbone as she spoke to him.

“You know, I still have that drawing you gave me.”

Surely the stethoscope could pick up his sudden increase in heart rate. He tightened one of his fists slightly to offset her ability to pick up on it.

“No kidding. You kept it?”

She nodded her head while slipping the stethoscope further down his chest. “I did. I vaguely remembered putting it away in one of my old medical school books. Inhale.”

He did. He hated not being able to speak at that moment.

“I had a patient with a complicated condition that I remembered was covered in one of my classes, so I was reviewing old books and the drawing fell out. What are the chances. Now exhale.”

He did. This was a crazy act of chance, he thought. But now, he didn’t want to waste time leaving it to chance much longer. He had to say something and be assertive now. He never really understood this sudden urgency.

“Are you free this Monday night?”

She had barely removed the stethoscope to his chest by the time the words slipped from his mouth. She debated if writing down her examination notes right away was the best course of action. This seemed like an interesting conversation, interesting enough to make her forget any medical observations. She decided to go for it, her eyes glancing down at her clipboard while shortening her notes as much as possible.

“Knowing my luck, probably not. Why are you asking?”

He fixed the hem of his hospital gown while his eyes narrowed on her fingers, them scribing frantically on the clipboard. His tone was much softer now, the sense of urgency slowly beginning to dissipate. She placed the clipboard onto the bed when she finished with her notes.

“I uh- I’d love to take you out on a date, if you’re free. Or whatever people call it in this century.”

“Well,” She began, a grin now tugging at her lips. Had this happened days before, she’d initially thought she’d be nervous about this. Part of her still was. But part of her did somewhat anticipate this. Maybe it was when he mentioned vaguely remembering her name. Maybe it was because Dr. Sullivan did mention Steve was asking about her last night in passing.

“Unfortunately for the both of us, people aren’t great with labelling dates nowadays. Some will say a date, others will say a hang, or just chilling.”

He seemed somewhat happy with the response. Although he did raise his eyebrow in puzzlement.

“That sounds confusing.”

“It is. You should see how people define relationships, it’s even worse.”

“Oh. Do people not say ‘going steady’ anymore?”

She laughed. “No, they don’t. The most definitive thing they’ll say is they have a thing with someone.”

“A thing?”

“Yes. Ambiguous, right?”

“Very.”

She let out another laugh with him, realizing that this probably gave him the wrong interpretation. She was interested, there was no denial there. That being said, the idea of the ethics committee blared in her mind like sirens. She softened her smile and lowered her tone to break the silence.

“Although the idea of having an ambiguous thing sounds like a great time, unfortunately you are my patient so it would be unbecoming of me.”

“I won’t be your patient for very long. You said I’d get discharged by the weekend.”

A bargainer. She somewhat hoped that wouldn’t happen, but was equally enticed that he had a reply. That only made him more attractive to her.

“I said hopefully by the weekend.” She corrected. “Even with your MRI coming back normal and my feedback from tonight’s exam, it’s really up to the discharge team to decide when you leave.”

“Then Tuesday.”

 _Fuck_. He might actually wear me down, she thought.

“It’s more than just that, Steve. I think it would still go against the code of conduct.”

“You know,” He began, his back leaning further against the bed frame as he spoke. “It’s funny how you thought I was the one rejecting you years ago, but really it’s the other way around.”

“Nice catch, Holmes. But I promise, this isn’t a formal rejection.”

She opened her mouth to speak once more, only to momentarily pause. Mostly because she knew this was wrong, but also because she was embarrassed that she was about to make herself vulnerable to him. Again, mind you. She turned her head back towards his glass window, glancing into the deserted hallway before returning her attention to him.

“I am very much attracted to you, and under most circumstances I would say yes without hesitation.”

“I appreciate the honesty.”

His low tone matched his piercing stare of her mouth. The sight was enough to make her audibly curse out. “Fuck Steve, come on don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

“I don’t know Doc, this seems less complicated than you’re making it out to be.”

Part of her wanted to run out of the room, the other part was ready to climb into bed with him.

“Ethical dilemmas aside, it kind of is. You’ve found me in a really complicated time in my life. I’m just starting my career, and I’m slowly getting spread out thin by family obligations. I’m not really in the headspace to start anything.”

He sat up straight in his bed, bringing his features so much closer to her. Even with all of their subtle physical touch throughout his hospitalization, this was arguably the most intimate. His expressions were sincere, dishearten but equally challenged by the revelation. He was unsure what this all meant. He hadn’t really thought it through past initially asking her out. This kindled passion was something ignited within him. The last time he felt that way was the first day he met Peggy.

“Look, I just learned what a thing was a minute ago. This is a whole new ballpark for me. I’m not expecting a night at the drive-in or swing dancing. But I do know there’s something about you, and I want to see you more. That’s all I’m asking for.”

She wanted to whimper and groan in that moment.

“God, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. You seem so patient, and I know I wouldn’t be able to do the same for you. At least right now.”

Although he should have taken that as an insult, it only made him inch forward. “Now you’re just making it seem like you’re trying to let me down easy.”

She finally let out a groan, followed by a smile.

“Believe me, this is killing me.” Her hands went to his shoulders, giving them a slight squeeze. Steve retaliated by bringing his palms to her upper arms. “It would be really unfair to you. I don’t want to start something if I can’t give you the time you deserve.”

At that point he had taken the hint, even if something within him was telling him to keep fighting. He was a gentleman at the end of the day, and attraction aside he didn’t want to push her. When she realized how compromising this position looked to an outsider, she quickly glanced at the glass window once more. Thankfully, still no sight of life. 

“How about this. If our paths ever cross again, somehow, I’ll happily let you take me out.”

He quirked his eyebrow, head tilting slightly to the side. “You’re going to leave this up to fate?”

“Well, fate has been good to us so far, no? Who could have predicted that you’d get injured in the same city I matched my residency in? Also, there are countless hospitals all around the city, good ones too. You could have been sent to any of them.”

“Very true.”

“Even then, there’s a rotation of attendings working at this hospital. Any one of them could have been assigned to your room.”

He chuckled at her rambling. “I think you’ve made your point, Carmen.”

She mentally rolled her eyes. “Anyways. If it’s meant to happen, this won’t be the last time you’ll see me.”

“And what if it is?”

“Then we become a small anecdote in each other’s lives. You can tell your friends you once hit on your doctor, and I’ll tell mine I almost slept with Captain America.”

“I feel like your anecdote has more pizzazz than mine. I’m inclined to think there’s some bias in there.”

Her laughter subsided when he brought one of his palms to her cheek. Her eyes shifted to the clipboard that sat on his bed, wondering if she could use it to shield them from any potential lurkers. It was ridiculous, she thought. She could have easily glanced at the window once more. But she was so drawn to him that she couldn’t look away.

“I’m not kidding Steve, you’re making this really hard on me.”

“I’m sorry.”

His apology was sincere, so when his palm landed on the back of her neck it wasn’t alarming. She didn’t feel like he was overstepping mostly because she equally wanted to touch him. When she felt his fingers begin to lace with her hair, that’s when she decided to momentarily look out the window.

She wanted to apologize too for the circumstances, reiterating that this was an issue with timing. Not him. He was probably exactly what she needed. Her body was so receptive to him, even if she knew it would all be a logistical mess.

Her leaning in was messy. Him learning in as well was equally messy.

She brushed her lips against his before holding them in a tender kiss. She initially only wanted to go in for one kiss, but enjoyed the feeling of his plumped flesh against her body. It kept her stagnant. He retaliated by bringing his other hand to her cheek, her pressing soft pecks against his mouth. She mustered just enough strengthen to finally end it.

Her stomach was knotted in desire. But she could only sigh.

“Think of this as the pizzazz you were looking for.”

* * *

When she returned to work the following day, she knew he’d be gone. She saw the order for his discharge as she was finishing her shift later that night. Part of her was hoping it was an administrative error, and that he wouldn’t actually be gone. Their very brief kiss was undoubtedly plaguing her mind since it happened. The paired anticipation with the ethical implications were enough to drive her crazy.

She knew had she walked into his room, and seen him there, she would have given in. She would have figured out a way to make it work. If needed, she probably would have tried to switch hospitals in case they were caught. It was crazy, she was probably delirious from the lack of sleep. But she was so infatuated she had no ability to stop her impulsive thoughts.

Seeing the empty room brought a certain sadness to her, as if she was grieving a loss. It seemed so inconsequential yet felt as real as ever. His lack of presence was shocking to say the least, but part of her knew this was what needed to happen.

As she gave his room a final glance, she noticed from the corner of her eye a small piece of paper on the nightstand. Part of her was surprised that it was even left there, usually the janitors were pretty thorough when cleaning rooms for the next patients. She assumed this was a mishap and began walking to the nightstand to throw out the last piece of trash.

When she got a closer look, she realized this was a deliberate act. Her eyes squinted behind her glasses, noticing the detailed outline of her body viewed from the glass window. This wasn’t as detailed as the initial sketch he had given her. Although, she noted the attention to detail in the drawing of the hospital’s logo. And the focus on capturing her layered hair accurately. A snapshot of her working would be a nice addition to her seemingly growing collection. She slipped the sketch into the pocket of her scrubs. 

Had he not been discharged, her little anecdote would have been a lot different. She probably would have actually slept with him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, long time no see! Hope the new chapter was worth the wait :)


	3. Age of Ultron

The tie around his neck felt as if it was tightening. While listening to the representative inquire further, Steve’s finger instinctively slipped between his tie and collared shirt. He knew this looked suspicious. Watching the representative furrow her eyebrow at him clued him to it. She momentarily lost her train of thought, words fumbling into Dutch words Steve did not understand. He returned his hand to the wooden desk once he was able to breathe normally again.

“Let me ask again, Captain Rogers.” She began, eyes peering from her glasses while returning to her notes.

He adjusted his posture, leaning more into the mic in anticipation for her answer. He watched attentively as her eyes skimmed quickly through her notes, thin lips slightly apart as she mentally rehearsed her words. She barely moved a muscle, eyes simply darting back towards him once she was ready to speak again.

“Did S.H.I.E.L.D. anticipate the threat of Ultron on the nation of Sokovia?”

He nodded his head. Despite recently having adjusted his tie, he still felt like the air was being sucked out of him.

“They were aware, yes.”

She returned to her page, forehead wrinkling as she contracted her facial muscles. She spoke again, this time leaving her eyes on her notes.

“Did S.H.I.E.L.D. order the Avengers to partake in actions that lead to the destruction of Sokovia?”

He paused for a moment, reflecting back on the events leading up to the ultimate decision that they took. He shook his head as both of his forearms rested on the wooden table, leaning slightly forward to ensure he was in close range of the microphone.

“No, Representative De Vries. It was a collaborative decision between all of the Avengers at the time.”

He gulped hard, knowing that the quirk of her lips that immediately appeared meant that he was probably backed into a corner. He really dreaded having to be here, acting like a stage prop again. He had hoped this part of his life would be past him. Since his redemption back in the war, when he saved the 107th from Hydra, he assumed that he would be taken seriously again. That he would never be a show pony again. Surely, there was no singing or dancing this time around, but he didn’t like how it made him feel. As if he was being used to propagate someone else’s agenda.

The representative placed her paper on her desk, arms crossing over one another as she leaned back in her seat. She didn’t need her notes anymore, knowing now exactly what to say.

“Then, Captain Rogers, who should be responsible for the damages done to the nation of Sokovia? Would that responsibility fall on the Avengers, or S.H.I.E.L.D. as an organization?”

He pondered on the question, knowing damn well he didn’t have an answer. This is why he didn’t want to be here. He couldn’t bullshit is way out of this one. This is why he initially insisted Romanov would have been a better choice. He didn’t like to dilly-dally around a question that he knew any answer would look bad. Admit that they fucked up, and be to blame for Sokovia? Or refuse any responsibility? Steve always liked to be frank with his ideas. This was already difficult, as this turned out to be an incredibly grey area for him. Romanov, on the other hand, could easily spin this into a positive narrative. One that the United Nations could accept. And she’d do it in a way that they wouldn’t even realize she was manipulating them. He honestly admired that about her, knowing she’d never shy away from a challenge like this. Fury insisted again that he should be the one to go, despite her evident talent. This was a proactive move, he explained. He didn’t want to go in with guns blazing. Steve was a nice palate cleanser that could easily diffuse the looming tension without stirring the pot. 

“This is just to buy time, Rogers. I plan to send off Romanov if things don’t work out in our favour.” 

Steve contemplated on his words, trying to find which ones would cause the least amount of damage. The representative was right. The Avengers were partially to blame. After the silence had settled into the room, Steve simply raised his shoulder.

“I don’t know, Representative. This isn’t my area of expertise. I wouldn’t be able to tell you what would be fair.”

He figured the truth would be the least damaging. This was probably true, as the representative was less than happy with his answer. She leaned in again, eyes quickly glancing at her notes before looking back at Steve. He reached for his glass of water, now visibly flustered by the intense stare of every representative on the other side of the room.

“I’ll be forthcoming and say I expected a more direct answer. Aren’t you the leader of the Avengers, Captain Rogers?”

He knew she didn’t mean it in a condescending way, instead bringing attention to the accountability he should be taking on behalf of the Avengers. Regardless of every member’s autonomy. And boy, did his colleagues not like to be told what to do. But he couldn’t help but feel somewhat insulted by the insinuation. Part of it came from his own resentment of the symbolism that came with his title. Who cares about Captain America, and what it represented. That never really mattered to him. He came to realize with time that Captain America was a persona. His return to modern life gave him the opportunity to read about his accomplishments through the eyes of history. Countless texts and academic articles have commented that ‘Captain America’ was a propaganda tool. This was a different perspective, and it was honestly shocking to be confronted with. When he was younger, he thought war was a necessary evil to ensure the well-being of others. He didn’t like it, of course. But he always thought it was justified.

Tony had made an offhanded comment once when they were arguing, telling him that his superhero existence was used as a tool by the government to brainwash citizens to adopt pro-war ideologies. It was very colourful at the time. Steve initially thought Tony was being hyperbolic, but he began looking through countless texts that made those exact points. It made him begin to look back more critically, especially after Sokovia.

“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m just Steve Rogers at the end of the day.”

At the time, what the Avengers did to end Ultron’s attack made sense. It solved the problem. Ultron was defeated. But it looked bad. They all knew that. In hindsight, this was one of the first times Steve felt truly guilty after a mission. Everything he did prior to that, he felt like the pros always outweighed the cons. Now the choice wasn’t as clear, and their actions were a little less explainable. He began to question if the good they were doing had balanced the damage. Surely, they were able to save countless lives. But what about those who were ruined? 

She hummed to herself, unimpressed by his dismissal. “Well Steve,” She began, her noticing that her interrogation time was quickly coming to a close. She lingered for a moment before simply adding “We would hope to have better leadership from organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D.. Surely, I believe the world would sleep more soundly knowing we could keep others accountable when damaging foreign sovereignties.”

Steve wanted to retort, insisting that this wasn’t an issue of lack of leadership. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to do so.

“I yield my time.”

* * *

He couldn’t have rushed out of the Vienna International Centre faster, even if he tried. He was momentarily blocked by a swarm of reporters and paparazzi, a sea of questions and comments jumbled into an incoherent mess that was unintelligible to his ears. He knew he fucked up, and probably made this makeshift PR trip even worse for S.H.I.E.L.D.. Not only was he being paraded around as a symbol of peace to the UN, his task of diffusing a looming situation had only been ignited further.

He got back to his hotel room, immediately looking at the various headlines summarizing the events from earlier. Interestingly, it wasn’t as bad as he expected. The majority of these articles still spoke highly of the Avengers and their actions, some even congratulating their bravery. But he noted a few articles quoting directly from world leaders being less than happy. Many had concerns for their own countries, knowing that their own cities could be bulldozed by the next conflict. Some questioned the security risk of letting superheroes run freely, noting Steve’s lack of accountability as proof of their concerns.

This was simply a mess that made his head scramble. His phone had been buzzing on his way back to the hotel, knowing S.H.I.E.L.D. was not content about what had transpired. He decided to ignore the calls, knowing it would only make him more anxious about tomorrow’s interrogations.

Hours slowly ticked away into mid-afternoon, Steve starting to feel more caged in by the four walls of his hotel room. Similar to earlier in the day, he felt his throat closing up, this time not being able to blame it on his tie. He figured he probably needed some fresh air. He knew he’d be somewhat at risk of being followed, doing his best to disguise his appearance with a more casual attire. Surely, a light navy jacket with sunglasses wouldn’t easily deter those seeking him out. But he figured this was the best he could do with what he had available. Before leaving his room, he called the front desk to inquire about any additional exits to the hotel. With an escape plan in mind, he made sure to leave his phone behind.

He anxiously looked behind his back moments following his departure. He figured he’d try to hide in plain sight, noting that it was always Romanov’s go-to method. He aimed for the city centre, hoping to blend him with nearby locals and tourists. It took him a while to realize that his plan was surprisingly successful. No one was paying him attention, with no reporter or paparazzi in sight. He could finally take in a deep breath and clear his mind.

He aimlessly walked along a busy street, eyes darting through its narrowness caused by the grand buildings. They were almost goddy, each curve and crevasse carefully sculpted. The cobblestone beneath him, noticeable almost each time he took a step, felt somewhat comforting against his feet. It was different. It was old. Ironically, he could relate. A seemingly timely location placed dead center in a modern era. His eyes followed passing tourists as they brushed against him, causing his attention to be drawn towards the countless cafes and bakeries around him. He began to ponder how these businesses even succeeded given the competition, wondering how one shop could distinguish itself from those around. He stopped in his tracks, noting a discrete and small bakery grabbing his attention.

He vaguely remembered a flight attendant suggest he get a local pastry during his stay in Vienna. He tried to remember the name, but without much luck. Instead, he let his eyes wander around the glass as he could visibly see the display case from his position. His eyes squinted as he noted a small chocolate covered pastry. He tried to read the label, knowing he wouldn’t even dare try to pronounce it out loud. It looked decadent and rich. The fact that it was the only pastry of its kind left made him think it would probably be tasty. Unlucky for him, he soon noticed the employee from behind the counter reach into the display case with silver tongs and slip the pastry into a small brown bag.

Although initially disappointed by missing the last pastry, something else caught his attention. He was almost sure he was hallucinating at this point. He noted her appearance, slightly different than he remembered. Her hair was shorter, now styled in a mid-length bob. Her hair was just as curly though, maybe a little more now as the shortened length seemingly gave it more volume. It was lighter too, being a few shades closer to her medium complexion. But her eyes were the same, a rich dark brown that reminded him of his coffee in the morning. The way she smiled at the employee as he handed her the packaged pastry, pearly whites beaming as her delicate fingers reached over the counter. That didn’t change. That was Carmen.

Honestly, he didn’t know how to react in that moment. His first instinct was to start running and hope that she didn’t notice him from the window. But he knew he couldn’t do that, nor did he really want to. Instead, he pondered this peculiar discovery. What were the chances, that out of all places, he’d run into Carmen in Vienna? What were the chances that he’d see her outside a bakery he momentarily paused outside? Their parting words came to mind instantly, remembering her going on and on about fate. Surely, this was the fate she was talking about. It had to be. Right? 

So he waited. With palms deep in his pockets, eyes awkwardly glancing around him, trying to find what he’d say, he waited for her. He didn’t know why. It was stupid, he thought. Who knows why she was in Vienna in the first place. Who knows if she’d even want to see him, or if she’d even remember him. His mind raced with endless possibilities, coming up with a million reasons why this was a bad idea. The fact she lingered in the store longer, taking her time as she paced around the bakery, he started to question his decision. Maybe she just rejected him and gave him a pity kiss to shut him up, only speaking of fate as a way to let him down easy. She’d probably be freaked out if she realized he was outside waiting for her.

She emerged from the bakery, eyes dropping directly to her purse as she stuffed the pastry inside. He was still a few steps away, her completely unaware of his presence. She reached for her phone, fingers momentarily pressing against the touch screen. He watched as her eyebrows furrowed, wondering if this was a good opportunity to say something. God, she was just as beautiful as he remembered. Probably even more so. Her eyes squinted, head lifting from her screen to glance at either side of the busy street. While deciding which direction to take, Steve finally found the strength to walk up to her.

He migrated his hands to the front of his jeans, them comfortably resting in his pockets.

“Carmen?” 

Her name was alarming to her ears as eyes instantly moved to the source of the sound. She looked at him wide-eyed, face completely devoid of emotions. Steve regretted saying anything, feeling the pit of his stomach begin to twist in anguish. While trying to find a way out of this situation, he noticed her features visibly soften.

“You’re kidding me. Steve, is that really you?”

He shyly smiled as she stood in complete awe of him. She was just as bewildered by the chance encounter. He began to beam as she went to close the gap between them. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders for a quick hug. He let out a breath of relief as she spoke again.

“I can’t believe this.”

“Tell me about it,” He chuckled as his arms tightened around her waist. He slowly unwrapped his arms while palms slid along her backside. He kept them on her sides for a moment, tempted to let his fingers loiter on her body longer. Even for a short moment. He decided against it, instead pulling away from the embrace.

“How have you been?” 

“I’ve been great, and yourself?” She asked as her hands reached upwards for his shoulders. Steve fleetingly glanced down at her hands as they contacted his body. “I can’t believe I’m running into you here, out of all places. What brings you to Vienna?”

“I’m good, thank you.” He smiled, his hands returning the contact by resuming their position on her sides. He fought the urge to bring her back into his arms for another embrace. Instead, he fumbled to find the words to answer her question. He just couldn’t stop smiling at her. He probably looked deranged, he thought. “I’m here for work, I guess. And you?” 

“I was at a medical conference for the past few days. Today is my last day before I head back to DC.” 

“You’re kidding.” His palms began to squeeze against her skin, unintentionally. He couldn’t keep his hands off of her, especially with her body so close to him. She reacted with a shy chuckle, her right palm trailing along his covered arm. “How lucky then that I ran into you? We almost missed each other.” 

“We almost did, how crazy…” She began, almost in disbelief by the series of events. They stood there for a while, just smiling at each other like idiots. They were still incredibly close to each other, especially considering this encounter had lasted a minute or so, as if pulled by a magnetic force inexplicable to them. He couldn’t piece together what was on her mind. She kept her physical contact with him, barely moving as his hands aimlessly moved towards her back. He knew he was being a little forward, noting only a few words had been spoken between them. He decides to pull her in for another embrace, mostly to kill time as he tried to formulate what to say next. 

She was receptive to his touch, her arms snaking around his neck as his palms settled on her backside. He figured this was a good sign, the turn of events probably indicating she was interested. Their last encounter began replaying in his mind like a broken record. This had to be what she meant by fate. Everything about this was serendipitous. The location. The meeting. The fact they were both seemingly free for the day. They were alone, relatively so. Alone from their responsibilities.

She pulled away slightly, her dark brown eyes looking directly into his ocean blues. He wondered if she was waiting for him to break the ice. He wondered if he was waiting for her to ask her out. He didn’t know what to do, honestly. To his delight, she began grinning at him. His eyebrow cocked in response as he fixated on her devilish smile.

“Well, I don’t mean to be forward, Captain. But it seems like you owe me a date.” 

His smile widened with every word she spoke, them sounding melodically to his ear. He pulled his eyes to his wrist, mentally noting the time of day to himself.

“I guess I do. Have you had lunch yet?” 

* * *

He audibly grumbled against her mouth, him not being able to wait long enough for his hotel room to open to kiss her again. He had playfully given her his room key earlier in the day, hardly anticipating their encounter to end like this. He regretted doing so now, watching as she fumbled to scan it against the handle. His lips had encapsulated her and made it harder to concentrate on opening an already finicky door. She didn’t want to open her eyes, instead basking in the feeling of his plush lips on hers. She kissed back with ferocity, giving up on the door as his palm cupped her cheek. She stopped trying and gripped on the sides of his jacket to pull his body closer. She was completely infatuated by him.

He was tempted to push her against the door and begin undressing her in the hallway. That’s what his body wanted, but something within him told him it was a bad idea. Just as her tongue began to tease his mouth, he forcibly removed their slick contact to reach for the plastic card held between her fingers. 

“You’re driving me crazy, you know that?” He said breathlessly, her lips simply traveling to his jaw as he tried to get the door to open. He mentally cursed as the door beamed red, denying them entrance. _Damn it_.

“Good, now you know how you made me feel when you kept hitting on me.” She whispered against his hot skin, fingers trailing daintily along the other side of his neck. 

The chirp sound of the door opening brought a smile to Carmen’s lips. She pulled away partially as he guided the both of them through the threshold. She was already prying at his jacket before he managed to kick the door shut. She slipped the garment off of his arms before he did the same with her jacket.

“When does your flight leave again?”

“8.” She answered, eyes locked on him as he peeled his shirt. Without direction, she led herself towards the bed, sinking slowly into the mattress. She began to unbutton her shirt in a way so determined she hardly noticed Steve’s torso was now fully exposed. She didn’t look up until her own sheer top was removed from her body, being left in her tank top tucked into dress pants. Once she did, she paused. Steve stepped forward while fingers rested on her chin. He lifted it upwards, locking his eyes intensely with hers. Her breathing had visibly hiked, waiting in anticipation for his next move. She was absolutely captivated by him.

There was something about the way she looked at him that made him realize how special this moment was. Although unbelievably impulsive and primal, he recognized there was something so poetic about the trail of events that led to this. It was as if both of their lives had paused when they found each other. Briefly. For a moment. That is all he wanted. He wasn’t Captain America. She wasn’t a doctor. She wasn’t _his_ doctor. It was just them. Steve and Carmen. Two idiots at different times in their lives incredibly attracted to each other. Sharing a once in a lifetime moment. He knew, logically, this probably wouldn’t work. She was still working in DC, and he basically lived around the world. He had no formal address, no favourite grocery store he visited weekly, no coffee shop where he found his regular order. Nada. He had no routine and nothing he could give to her past this. Although this attraction was uncanny, flowing as smoothly as a calm river, this was temporary. Chances are, he’d probably never see her again.

“What are you thinking about?” She whispered as her palm reached to contact his. He let out a deep breath as his lips curled into a tender smile. The realization wasn’t somber.

“Just you, and how perfect this day was.”

She nodded, giving her bottom lip a bite while her hand reached for the back of his neck.

“Come here…”

He listened, following her lead as she brought his face closer to hers. As eyelids fluttered close, he slowed down while pressing their lips together. He wanted to savour the moment, study the inside of her mouth so he could remember how she felt forever. His hands were gentle, palm petting against her soft hair. He could tell she was getting increasingly frustrated by the pace, letting her groans in dissatisfaction become audible. She whined against his mouth. Steve found himself cherishing this as well, the vibrations caused by her vocal cords inducing an eruption of goosebumps along his skin.

Her impatience was getting the best of her, hand stationed on the back of his neck beginning to tug him forward. He followed through with the request, bringing his chest to hers while she laid back on the bed. Their kiss became firmer, gravity now working against them as Steve’s body rested on top of her. It limited the movement of their lips. It was almost suffocating, but she loved it. A moan of encouragement escaped while searching fingers explored his blond locks. He was panting now, breathing growing increasingly heavy as their tongues swirled together. Curious hands now palmed along the curves of her partially undressed body, the feeling of her clothes now rough against his bare chest.

He was becoming increasingly dizzy, noticing his lack of breathing after arguably a prolonged make out session. He readjusted his position, forearm pressing up against the mattress so he could take a full inhale of his lungs. He still kept his lips close to hers while he tried to regulate his breathing. Her hands playing with his hairs slowly moving to his cheeks, her brown eyes lazily opened so she could take a good look at him. She’d never seen him _this close_ before. She couldn’t help it anymore, picking up the weight of her head against the mattress in order to sprinkle his lips with soft pecks.

“Are you stalling?” She whispered.

He wanted to make sure he chose his words correctly. The way her voice mumbled against his mouth, a smudge of insecurity being apparent in her tone. 

“A little, I guess…” He began, tilting his face so he could directly stare down at Carmen. The shift in position caused her eyes to widen while Steve simply smiled. He brought his palm to her thigh, pressing the covered flesh against his hip. “I could kiss you forever.”

“We can do more than kissing.”

“I know… _fuck_.” The curse sounded dark to her ears, following by a more forceful kiss on his part. The sudden contact brought her hands to his cheeks. The way she hummed against his mouth sounded delicious.

“This is just-...” He pulled away while his hand pressed harder on her thigh. “I just want to make this last forever. You know?”

She nodded while her teeth captured her bottom lip. “I know. Me too.”

“This isn’t just a hook up to me, just so you know”

“Mm, I didn’t even realize you knew what a ‘hook up’ meant.”

Her playful grin caused his palm to drag along her side, settling at the small of her back. She noticeably brought her hips upwards to press against his thigh.

“I’ve learned a lot of things since we’ve last met.”

He didn’t mean it in an overtly sexual way, him only speaking frankly at her teasing remark. But the way she slowly rocked her hips with his, her fingers dragging along his jawline, eyelids growing heavy, he realized that wasn’t her interpretation.

“What have you learned?”

Her lips were now against his jaw, following the path forged by her fingertips. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, wet kisses completely inhibiting his train of thought. _God_ , he was so close to ripping her clothes off right there. His intrusive thoughts weren’t appeased once he felt the sensation of her dragging tongue along his skin.

“Fuck…Carmen.”

“I like how you say my name, Captain.” She whispered through an exhale. He never liked being called by his title, finding himself always having a visceral reaction to the sound of it. But the way she spoke, the intoxication of her intonations, so melodical. So delicious. So hot. He couldn’t get enough of it. His hands began to unbutton her dress pants.

“Carmen…”

“Tell me what you’ve learned.”

She lifted her hips as he tugged at her pants, making sure to adjust his position so he could work them off her body. The feeling of her thighs through the fabric was already divine, but it was nothing in comparison to her soft skin directly against him. He moaned as she pressed her leg to his side, the partial contact of her skin against his torso sending him into a craze. His head dipped forward, capturing his lips for another long engulfment.

“I’ve…I’ve learned how to kiss.”

Words escaped in between breaths, mumbled syllables evading as she moved her hips with his.

“You had a good teacher. What else?”

“I-I’ve…” He stuttered, the sensation of her scorching heat against his covered thigh now perceivable. She must be drenched, he thought. He began to imagine how she’d taste on his tongue.

“I’ve learned how to go down on a girl.”

“Oh _Captain_ …” She moaned deeply, almost gasping at her words. It only made the rocking of her hips go wild. “Fuck…I bet you’re good at it too.”

It technically only happened once, so he wasn’t sure if he’d be on par with her standards. He received encouraging notes when he did, but he wasn’t sure if he could pleasure her the way she deserved to be pleasured. She deserved everything. Head cocked all the way back, screaming in ecstasy, hips and thighs shaking in pure bliss.

“You can guide me…” He began, fingertips toying with the hem of her underwear. He slipped his hand, feeling the muscles of her abdomen contract in tandem with his soft contact. “You can tell me how you like it.”

She let out a delicious hum as his rough fingers made direct contact with her pulsating heat. While beginning slow and agonizing circular motions, her hips raised from the mattress. She pressed harder into his palm while lingering lips trailed along her collarbone.

“I like the sound of that...”

His lips paused once it reached the hem of her tank top. He thought about slipping the tight cotton from her torso and letting his palms slide along the swells of her breasts. He imagined how round they’d be, how erect the nipples would be. How soft the skin would feel against his lips. How her breathing would hike if he bit softly against her skin. But the way she responded to his palm, the bucking of her hips growing more intense, them following the circular motion of his finger. He knew she desperately wanted him. And he didn’t want to keep her waiting for long.

He pulled his hand away from her clit, the loss of friction immediately alerting Carmen. Her eyes opened, watching as Steve moved to a comfortable position on his knees at the edge of the bed. His hand, coated with her slickness, caressed her inner thighs as he spread them. She laid her head back onto the mattress, Steve now solely focused on what stood in front of him. He could see how soaked her panties were, practically dripping in anticipation for his mouth. He didn’t want to take them off. Instead using his fingers to push the coated fabric, he leaned in to peck at her heat.

She initially shuddered at the light touch, holding her breath as she waited for the return of his warmth. A wait that was worthwhile. He gave her clit soft, long, wet, open mouth kisses. It was _heavenly_ , Carmen bringing her hips up to his mouth every time he momentarily pulled away. He liked the way she unfolded beneath him, an apparent eagerness that he didn’t expect. He flattened his tongue before adding it to the mix, lapping at her juices. She tasted incredible, and he couldn’t get enough of it. His mouth moved quicker while wandering hands reached up to touch her torso. Her hands, initially clinging onto his hair, had laced with his fingers. He suckled directly on her clit, forcing a deep grunt that originated from her diaphragm. This only made her tighten her grip on his hand.

“You’re fucking kidding me…You ne-need guidance?”

He took that as a compliment, letting his eyes glance upwards to see her facial muscles squirm in pleasure.

“Does this feel good?”

“Yes, Captain…so...” She moaned again. “So good…” 

The sound of his title made his bulge press harder against his jeans. He regretted not freeing himself earlier. He could feel Carmen’s nails dig into the back of his hand.

His head must have been buried between her thighs for what seemed like hours, barely being able to gasp for air in between Carmen’s thighs squeezing against him. His tongue had surprisingly a lot of stamina. He didn’t even remember slipping a finger in, and was equally as surprised at the sound she made when he added the second. She was coming undone. He knew if he kept going, he could get her to finish. He was excited by it, his fingers pumping into her with more voracity. God, this was _amazing_.

“Steve please, I want you…”

“Mm?”

“I want you…I want y-you to fuck me…”

“You’re so close though…”

“I know…please...please Steve…”

The way she begged for him sent a shiver down his cock. He realized how aroused he was, seeing how Carmen reacted to him. He could climax just thinking about it. He may actually though, the more he thought about it. God, he didn’t want to. Not now. Not now that she was so close to her own release. He could only imagine how unbelievable she’d feel, stretching around him, calling him Captain, giving him wet kisses with every thrust.

_Fuck._

“I don’t have a condom, sweetheart…” He whispered against her skin, eyes fluttering closed as he tried to think of literally anything else. Anything but her. “I didn’t really plan this out.”

She whined, bottom lip now being chewed out by her own teeth. Her determined hands leaned down, reaching for his shoulders to guide him back up. “It’s okay, I have an IUD. Please...Steve…”

God, if she kept begging he’d surely go over the edge. But there was nothing he could have said, she knew exactly what she wanted, and he was going to give it to her. He crawled back into bed and before he knew it her lips were erratically on his. Her kisses were sloppy, as if she was inebriated by the pleasure she succumbed moments ago. He loved how receptive she was to his touch, and her determination as she pried at his jeans.

He bunched them at his ankles, unable to find the strength to pause enough to truly undress himself. She tilted her head slightly from the mattress, eyes focused as she watched Steve adjust himself at her entrance. The mixture of slickness and saliva around his tip made his bottom lip quiver. He hesitated at first to push in. When he did, fresh coating enveloping his length in warmth, stretching deliciously along his cock as he filled her up, he gasped.

“Oh my God…”

She threw her head back as Steve slowly pulled his hips back, pushing back equally as slowly as the first time. He felt as if he was going to pass out, never ever feeling this amount of pleasure before in his life. He couldn’t even look at her, knowing her response would be equally as stimulating. She brought her arms around his neck as he pushed in her again, this time releasing a well-earned moan from her. She encouraged him to go harder, telling him how good he felt, that she could fuck him all night long. She grew impatient when he didn’t pick up the pace, tempted to flip them around so she could do it herself. She pressed against his side, signalling him that she wanted to be on top. His reaction was peculiar, forceful palms gripping onto her wrist and pinning them against the mattress.

“Stop that.” He grumbled against his teeth before pressing his lips forcibly against her mouth. She loved the reaction, enticed to try the same move again to see it again. He gave her a slow but hard thrust, which made her moan delightfully.

“Fuck me harder then, Captain.”

His hips gained fluidity as he came to the realization that he wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer. He figured he’d give her what she wanted, the fingers holding her wrists tightening as his hips moved faster. She smiled in satisfaction, becoming unaware that his lips had migrated to her neck. It didn’t take long for him to start panting, feeling her hips move in sync with his to ease his movements.

“Where do yo-...want me to finish?”

“Anywhere you want, Captain.”

His mind instantly went to somewhere filthy, already imagining the sensation of his warm come filling her up completely. Had his orgasm been a second earlier, he wouldn’t have found the strength to pull out. He did as his mind scrambled to find somewhere to finish. He surprisingly found the time to glance along her chest, noting that the top half was fully exposed, a nipple slightly visible from the hem of her tank top. He initially thought about finishing in her mouth, his lips beginning to curl as he’d request for her to open her mouth. He decided against it though, instead aiming to the exposed skin above her tank top. He was successful for the most part, noticing in his ecstasy a rope of pleasure spilling onto her chin.

“Fuck...Carmen…”

She didn’t seem to care, watching attentively as he finished directly on her skin. She was impressed that he managed to avoid her tank top completely. She hated that he had pulled away, her still incredibly aroused by actions moments ago. On the other hand, she did enjoy this vulnerable moment with him, her hand pressed against his thigh, almost encouraging him to finish. She laid still on the mattress, watching as Steve collapsed next to her. She tilted her chin, lightly brushing their lips together for a tired kiss. He barely managed to kiss back due to his exhaustion. He took a second to catch his breath before managing to peel himself from her touch. He went into the bathroom, almost instantly returning with a small towel. She thanked him, using the slightly damp towel to wash her skin from his come.

He laid next to her again, back completely flat against the mattress. His eyes focused on the ceiling, waiting for Carmen to be finished before saying anything. 

“That was…incredible.”

She smiled to herself, placing the towel on the nightstand before making contact with his body. She pressed her palm to his chest, his lungs now settling into a typical rhythm. She dipped her head down, pressing a small kiss against his lips.

“It was.”

He brought his hand to the back of her head, reciprocating the soft act with his own pecks.

“Did you finish?”

She simply shook her head, which made his eyebrows furrow.

“Oh…I’m sorry about that.”

She chuckled as the palm on his chest moved to his shoulder. “Don’t be. I expect to be more than satisfied by the end of the second round.”

He raised his eyebrow, lips curving into a confused smile. “Second round? Don’t you have an early flight tomorrow?”

“I do…” She began, her index slowly circling aimlessly the warm skin of his shoulder. “But I plan on doing the most of my sleeping on the plane.”

 _Fuck_. _This woman was amazing._

* * *

**_PICTURE EXCLUSIVE : Mystery woman caught leaving Vienna hotel early in the morning following outing with Captain America_ ** ****

_Woman now identified as American physician, Carmen Morales, pictured leaving the Sacher Wien early in the morning after being seen with Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. The couple was seen yesterday in the afternoon strolling through Vienna’s city centre, sharing local pastries and holding hands._

_Sources have confirmed Rogers had checked into the Sacher Wien the previous night. There has been no confirmation of any relationship status between Rogers and Morales as of yet. Rogers is scheduled today to attend a second hearing at the United Nations to contest criminal negligence of S.H.I.E.L.D. following the aftermath of the Battle of Sokovia._


End file.
